Kwiatkowski wins Milan-San Remo

Michal Kwiatkowski (Team Sky) won an excruciatingly close photo-finish sprint on the Via Roma in Milan-San Remo, topping world champion Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe), with Julian Alaphilippe (QuickStep) in third.

"After previous editions in 2013 and 2014 when I've been unlucky, winning Milano-San Remo is an incredible feeling," Kwiatkowski said. "I'm thankful to my teammates, they did an incredible job today. I didn't expect Sagan to attack on the Poggio. After he did, I expected a bunch sprint but he maintained a high speed at the front. I focused only on my own sprint. I can't believe I've beaten Sagan!"

Sagan sparked the breakaway over the top of the Poggio, and was quickly joined by Kwiatkowski and Alaphilippe, two daring descenders who could keep up with the world champion's legendary skills.

Leading the entire descent, Sagan looked to his companions to take a pull, but they only briefly obliged, leaving Sagan to do the majority of the work to hold off the hard-charging peloton. As they took the final curve and had the finish line in sight, the peloton came into view behind them, but they had left it too late.

Sagan wiggled his elbow for Kwiatkowski to pull through with 500m to go, but the Pole wisely declined, and as Sagan charged hard for the finish line, Kwiatkowski drew alongside. Sagan violently strangled his bicycle trying to squeeze out just a few more watts, but the Sky rider threw his bike to the line, snatching the elusive Milan-San Remo victory from the Bora-hansgrohe rider.

Alaphilippe finished narrowly behind for third place, and the peloton crossed the line only five seconds later.

"The only thing missing today was a little bit of co-operation from some other riders," Sagan said. "But it's okay. I did my bit and I'm happy with what I did. That's cycling. You race for 300km and you can win by a little or lose by a little. I did my best."

How it unfolded

The race got off promptly under sunny skies in Milan. Inspired by the good weather and not fearing the nearly 300 kilometers they were facing, ten riders took off after only five kilometers: Nico Denz (AG2R La Mondiale), Mattia Frapporti (Androni-Sidermec), Mirco Maestri (Bardiani-CSF), William Clarke and Tom Skujins (Cannondale-Drapac), Ivan Rovny (Gazprom-Rusvelo), Alan Marangoni (Nippo-Fantini), Umberto Poli (Novo Nordisk), Federico Zurlo (UAE Team Emirates), and Julen Amezqueta (Wilier-Selle Italia).

The gap stayed between four and five minutes, with FDJ, Bora-Hansgrohe and QuickStep sharing the work at the head of the peloton.

With about 120km to go, the gap started dropping dramatically, hitting 2:20 at the 100km marker. Quick-Step Floors had moved to the front of the field and picked up the pace, a move which some of the other teams seemed to question.

The peloton finally eased up a bit, not wanting to catch the group too soon, and allowed the gap to come back up to about 2:45. Bora-Hansgrohe showed up at the head of the field to help keep an eye on things.

The gap bounced up and down but the ten in the breakaway calmly continued on their way, working well together. With 60km left, they had less than two minutes. Unfortunately, as the gap disappeared, so did the sun, with clouds increasingly rolling n.

The first action came with 45km to go. AG2R, at the race without a sprinter, sent Alexis Gougeard up the road. He got a gap on the peloton but was unable to make up ground on the leaders and was soon back in the field.

That lead group started falling apart with 39km to go. Poli, at 20 the youngest rider in the race, was the first to drop back, soon followed by Frapporti and Zurlo.

The breakaway and peloton flew down the Capo Berto, with the gap dropping under a minute. Katusha gathered at the front of the field.

With the Cipressa beckoning, the pace kicked up again, with Bahrain-Merida leading the charge. With its 5.6km length and a maximum gradient of 9%, it has in the past played a decisive role. Today it saw the end of the breakaway, which was caught shortly after the start of the climb. Rovny, Clarke, and Amezqueta held out longest but they too were doomed.

A handful of riders jumped on the way up but were doomed when Tom Dumoulin (Sunweb) joined them. He was too dangerous and the field pulled them back. Tim Wellens (Lotto Soudal) gave it a try as well, being briefly joined by Androni's Mattia Cattaneo. Sunweb then had Dumoulin and Simon Geschke at the head of the field pushing the tempo to drop as many sprinters as possible.

Bahrain-Merida led the rapid descent on the narrow and curving road. As they hit the flat, Tony Gallopin (Lotto Soudal) took off, followed closely by Philippe Gilbert (QuickStep). A group of about 10 built up a small gap before Sagan and Bora-Hansgrohe led the chase to catch them, and then remained at the front. At the back, riders who had been dropped began catching on again.

Tom Boonen, in his last Milan-San Remo, took over the lead work in service of his teammates.

The Poggio, the last climb, saw Sky at the front, but Dumoulin again popped up at the front. The Dutchman pushed a gruelling pace before leaving the work to Sky and Sagan.

Shortly before the summit, at one of the steepest sections, World Champion Sagan took off. Julian Alaphilippe (Quick-Step) and Michal Kwiatkowski (Sky) followed. The trio flew down the descent, taking every risk on the tight hairpin curves, arriving at the bottom with 16 seconds and 2.5 km left.

Trek-Segafredo rode desperately to close the gap and bring John Degenkolb into position but they had no chance, and five seconds after Kwiatkowski took out a surprise victory, the peloton was led to the line by Alexander Kristoff (Katusha-Alpecin).

The @Milano_Sanremo podium. pic.twitter.com/8VD8LKh0K0

Full Results

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#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Team Sky7:08:39
2Peter Sagan (Svk) Bora-HansgroheRow 1 - Cell 2
3Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Quick-Step FloorsRow 2 - Cell 2
4Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Katusha-Alpecin0:00:05
5Fernando Gaviria (Col) Quick-Step FloorsRow 4 - Cell 2
6Arnaud Demare (Fra) FDJRow 5 - Cell 2
7John Degenkolb (Ger) Trek-SegafredoRow 6 - Cell 2
8Nacer Bouhanni (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 7 - Cell 2
9Elia Viviani (Ita) Team SkyRow 8 - Cell 2
10Caleb Ewan (Aus) Orica-ScottRow 9 - Cell 2
11Magnus Cort Nielsen (Den) Orica-ScottRow 10 - Cell 2
12Michael Matthews (Aus) Team SunwebRow 11 - Cell 2
13Sonny Colbrelli (Ita) Bahrain-MeridaRow 12 - Cell 2
14Daniele Bennati (Ita) Movistar TeamRow 13 - Cell 2
15Francesco Gavazzi (Ita) Androni GiocattoliRow 14 - Cell 2
16Luka Mezgec (Slo) Orica-ScottRow 15 - Cell 2
17Ben Swift (GBr) Team UAE EmiratesRow 16 - Cell 2
18Tim Wellens (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 17 - Cell 2
19Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Dimension DataRow 18 - Cell 2
20Marco Canola (Ita) Nippo - Vini FantiniRow 19 - Cell 2
21Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing TeamRow 20 - Cell 2
22Jos Van Emden (Ned) Team LottoNl-JumboRow 21 - Cell 2
23Matti Breschel (Den) Astana Pro TeamRow 22 - Cell 2
24Alexey Lutsenko (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamRow 23 - Cell 2
25Oscar Gatto (Ita) Astana Pro TeamRow 24 - Cell 2
26Bram Tankink (Ned) Team LottoNl-JumboRow 25 - Cell 2
27Daryl Impey (RSA) Orica-ScottRow 26 - Cell 2
28Luis León Sanchez (Spa) Astana Pro TeamRow 27 - Cell 2
29Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Quick-Step FloorsRow 28 - Cell 2
30Christophe Laporte (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 29 - Cell 2
31Filippo Pozzato (Ita) Wilier TriestinaRow 30 - Cell 2
32Kristian Sbaragli (Ita) Dimension DataRow 31 - Cell 2
33Iuri Filosi (Ita) Nippo - Vini FantiniRow 32 - Cell 2
34Damiano Caruso (Ita) BMC Racing TeamRow 33 - Cell 2
35Michael Valgren Andersen (Den) Astana Pro TeamRow 34 - Cell 2
36Simon Gerrans (Aus) Orica-ScottRow 35 - Cell 2
37Alberto Bettiol (Ita) Cannondale-DrapacRow 36 - Cell 2
38Stephen Cummings (GBr) Dimension DataRow 37 - Cell 2
39Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek-SegafredoRow 38 - Cell 2
40Diego Ulissi (Ita) Team UAE EmiratesRow 39 - Cell 2
41Jan Bakelants (Bel) AG2R La MondialeRow 40 - Cell 2
42Anthony Roux (Fra) FDJRow 41 - Cell 2
43Enrico Battaglin (Ita) Team LottoNl-JumboRow 42 - Cell 2
44Alex Dowsett (GBr) Movistar TeamRow 43 - Cell 2
45Michael Albasini (Swi) Orica-ScottRow 44 - Cell 2
46Tony Gallopin (Fra) Lotto SoudalRow 45 - Cell 2
47Franco Pellizotti (Ita) Bahrain-MeridaRow 46 - Cell 2
48Mattia Cattaneo (Ita) Androni GiocattoliRow 47 - Cell 2
49Gianni Moscon (Ita) Team SkyRow 48 - Cell 2
50Julien Simon (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 49 - Cell 2
51Geoffrey Soupe (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 50 - Cell 2
52Jens Keukeleire (Bel) Orica-ScottRow 51 - Cell 2
53Enrico Gasparotto (Ita) Bahrain-MeridaRow 52 - Cell 2
54Davide Cimolai (Ita) FDJ0:00:18
55Matteo Trentin (Ita) Quick-Step Floors0:00:20
56Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Bahrain-Merida0:00:31
57Matej Mohoric (Slo) Team UAE EmiratesRow 56 - Cell 2
58Fabio Felline (Ita) Trek-SegafredoRow 57 - Cell 2
59Simon Spilak (Slo) Katusha-Alpecin0:00:53
60Matteo Busato (Ita) Wilier Triestina0:01:08
61Manuele Mori (Ita) Team UAE Emirates0:01:35
62Matthieu Ladagnous (Fra) FDJRow 61 - Cell 2
63Jasha Sütterlin (Ger) Movistar TeamRow 62 - Cell 2
64Lukasz Wisniowski (Pol) Team SkyRow 63 - Cell 2
65Tom Boonen (Bel) Quick-Step FloorsRow 64 - Cell 2
66Sam Bennett (Irl) Bora-HansgroheRow 65 - Cell 2
67Primoz Roglic (Slo) Team LottoNl-JumboRow 66 - Cell 2
68Cesare Benedetti (Ita) Bora-Hansgrohe0:01:45
69Tom Dumoulin (Ned) Team Sunweb0:02:25
70Grega Bole (Slo) Bahrain-Merida0:02:28
71Eduard Grosu (Rom) Nippo - Vini Fantini0:03:52
72Koen De Kort (Ned) Trek-SegafredoRow 71 - Cell 2
73Michael Morkov (Den) Katusha-AlpecinRow 72 - Cell 2
74Maciej Bodnar (Pol) Bora-HansgroheRow 73 - Cell 2
75Ivan Savitskiy (Rus) Gazprom – Rusvelo0:03:55
76Yonder Godoy (Ven) Wilier TriestinaRow 75 - Cell 2
77Daniel Oss (Ita) BMC Racing TeamRow 76 - Cell 2
78Reto Hollenstein (Swi) Katusha-AlpecinRow 77 - Cell 2
79Ivan Santaromita (Ita) Nippo - Vini FantiniRow 78 - Cell 2
80Martin Elmiger (Swi) BMC Racing TeamRow 79 - Cell 2
81Marco Marcato (Ita) Team UAE EmiratesRow 80 - Cell 2
82Toms Skujins (Lat) Cannondale-DrapacRow 81 - Cell 2
83Jurgen Roelandts (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 82 - Cell 2
84Hugo Houle (Can) AG2R La MondialeRow 83 - Cell 2
85Fausto Masnada (Ita) Androni GiocattoliRow 84 - Cell 2
86Pier Paolo De Negri (Ita) Nippo - Vini FantiniRow 85 - Cell 2
87Simon Geschke (Ger) Team SunwebRow 86 - Cell 2
88Marcus Burghardt (Ger) Bora-HansgroheRow 87 - Cell 2
89Nikias Arndt (Ger) Team SunwebRow 88 - Cell 2
90Jacopo Mosca (Ita) Wilier TriestinaRow 89 - Cell 2
91Paul Martens (Ger) Team LottoNl-JumboRow 90 - Cell 2
92Ian Stannard (GBr) Team SkyRow 91 - Cell 2
93Simon Clarke (Aus) Cannondale-DrapacRow 92 - Cell 2
94Mathias Frank (Swi) AG2R La MondialeRow 93 - Cell 2
95Andreas Schillinger (Ger) Bora-HansgroheRow 94 - Cell 2
96Niccolo Bonifazio (Ita) Bahrain-MeridaRow 95 - Cell 2
97Salvatore Puccio (Ita) Team SkyRow 96 - Cell 2
98Luke Rowe (GBr) Team SkyRow 97 - Cell 2
99Quentin Jauregui (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale0:03:59
100Marco Haller (Aut) Katusha-AlpecinRow 99 - Cell 2
101Mark Cavendish (GBr) Dimension Data0:05:24
102Marco Frapporti (Ita) Androni GiocattoliRow 101 - Cell 2
103Alexey Tsatevich (Rus) Gazprom-RusveloRow 102 - Cell 2
104David Lozano (Spa) Team Novo NordiskRow 103 - Cell 2
105Raffaello Bonusi (Ita) Androni GiocattoliRow 104 - Cell 2
106Simone Andreetta (Ita) Bardiani CSFRow 105 - Cell 2
107Tom Van Asbroeck (Bel) Cannondale-DrapacRow 106 - Cell 2
108Lorenzo Rota (Ita) Bardiani CSFRow 107 - Cell 2
109Ruslan Tleubayev (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamRow 108 - Cell 2
110Simone Velasco (Ita) Bardiani CSFRow 109 - Cell 2
111Andrey Grivko (Ukr) Astana Pro TeamRow 110 - Cell 2
112Francisco Ventoso (Spa) BMC Racing TeamRow 111 - Cell 2
113Juraj Sagan (Svk) Bora-HansgroheRow 112 - Cell 2
114Sven Erik Bystrøm (Nor) Katusha-AlpecinRow 113 - Cell 2
115Manuele Boaro (Ita) Bahrain-MeridaRow 114 - Cell 2
116Daniel Martin (Irl) Quick-Step FloorsRow 115 - Cell 2
117Kristijan Koren (Slo) Cannondale-DrapacRow 116 - Cell 2
118Fabio Sabatini (Ita) Quick-Step FloorsRow 117 - Cell 2
119Nuno Bico (Por) Movistar TeamRow 118 - Cell 2
120Jorge Arcas Peña (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 119 - Cell 2
121Søren Kragh Andersen (Den) Team SunwebRow 120 - Cell 2
122Tomasz Marczynski (Pol) Lotto SoudalRow 121 - Cell 2
123Mickael Delage (Fra) FDJRow 122 - Cell 2
124Pavel Brutt (Rus) Gazprom – RusveloRow 123 - Cell 2
125Silvan Dillier (Swi) BMC Racing TeamRow 124 - Cell 2
126Gediminas Bagdonas (Ltu) AG2R La MondialeRow 125 - Cell 2
127Gregory Rast (Swi) Trek-SegafredoRow 126 - Cell 2
128Luca Wackermann (Ita) Bardiani CSFRow 127 - Cell 2
129Ignatas Konovalovas (Ltu) FDJRow 128 - Cell 2
130Ivan Rovny (Rus) Gazprom – RusveloRow 129 - Cell 2
131Sacha Modolo (Ita) Team UAE EmiratesRow 130 - Cell 2
132Jens Debusschere (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 131 - Cell 2
133Tiesj Benoot (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 132 - Cell 2
134Carlos Betancur (Col) Movistar TeamRow 133 - Cell 2
135Vegard Stake Laengen (Nor) Team UAE EmiratesRow 134 - Cell 2
136Enrico Barbin (Ita) Bardiani CSFRow 135 - Cell 2
137Mathew Hayman (Aus) Orica-ScottRow 136 - Cell 2
138Thomas Leezer (Ned) Team LottoNl-JumboRow 137 - Cell 2
139Julen Amezqueta (Spa) Wilier TriestinaRow 138 - Cell 2
140Davide Ballerini (Ita) Androni Giocattoli0:08:34
141Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) AG2R La MondialeRow 140 - Cell 2
142Charles Planet (Fra) Team Novo NordiskRow 141 - Cell 2
143Kiel Reijnen (USA) Trek-SegafredoRow 142 - Cell 2
144Borut Bozic (Slo) Bahrain-MeridaRow 143 - Cell 2
145Carlos Barbero (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 144 - Cell 2
146Roy Curvers (Ned) Team SunwebRow 145 - Cell 2
147Alexander Porsev (Rus) Gazprom – RusveloRow 146 - Cell 2
148Twan Castelijns (Ned) Team LottoNl-JumboRow 147 - Cell 2
149Héctor Carretero (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 148 - Cell 2
150Mark Renshaw (Aus) Dimension DataRow 149 - Cell 2
151Jacopo Guarnieri (Ita) FDJRow 150 - Cell 2
152Nico Denz (Ger) AG2R La MondialeRow 151 - Cell 2
153Mirco Maestri (Ita) Bardiani CSFRow 152 - Cell 2
154Manuel Quinziato (Ita) BMC Racing TeamRow 153 - Cell 2
155Alan Marangoni (Ita) Nippo - Vini FantiniRow 154 - Cell 2
156William Clarke (Aus) Cannondale-DrapacRow 155 - Cell 2
157Manuel Belletti (Ita) Wilier TriestinaRow 156 - Cell 2
158Andrea Palini (Ita) Androni GiocattoliRow 157 - Cell 2
159Javier Megias (Spa) Team Novo NordiskRow 158 - Cell 2
160Truls Korsaeth (Nor) Astana Pro TeamRow 159 - Cell 2
161Dimitri Claeys (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 160 - Cell 2
162Jack Bauer (NZl) Quick-Step Floors0:09:23
163Jakub Mareczko (Ita) Wilier Triestina0:10:44
164Cyril Lemoine (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 163 - Cell 2
165Marcel Sieberg (Ger) Lotto SoudalRow 164 - Cell 2
166Martijn Verschoor (Ned) Team Novo NordiskRow 165 - Cell 2
167Lars Ytting Bak (Den) Lotto SoudalRow 166 - Cell 2
168Juan Jose Lobato (Spa) Team LottoNl-JumboRow 167 - Cell 2
169Thomas Scully (NZl) Cannondale-DrapacRow 168 - Cell 2
170Scott Thwaites (GBr) Dimension DataRow 169 - Cell 2
171Nikolay Trusov (Rus) Gazprom – RusveloRow 170 - Cell 2
172Nathan Brown (USA) Cannondale-DrapacRow 171 - Cell 2
173Florian Senechal (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits0:14:15
174Eugenio Alafaci (Ita) Trek-SegafredoRow 173 - Cell 2
175Danny Van Poppel (Ned) Team SkyRow 174 - Cell 2
176Julien Vermote (Bel) Quick-Step FloorsRow 175 - Cell 2
177Alexis Gougeard (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 176 - Cell 2
178Miles Scotson (Aus) BMC Racing TeamRow 177 - Cell 2
179Aleksejs Saramotins (Lat) Bora-HansgroheRow 178 - Cell 2
180Artur Ershov (Rus) Gazprom – RusveloRow 179 - Cell 2
181Jay Robert Thomson (RSA) Dimension DataRow 180 - Cell 2
182Marco Coledan (Ita) Trek-SegafredoRow 181 - Cell 2
183Fabio Calabria (Aus) Team Novo NordiskRow 182 - Cell 2
184Kenneth Vanbilsen (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 183 - Cell 2
185Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Dimension DataRow 184 - Cell 2
186Mattia Frapporti (Ita) Androni GiocattoliRow 185 - Cell 2
187Tom Stamsnijder (Ned) Team SunwebRow 186 - Cell 2
188Albert Timmer (Ned) Team SunwebRow 187 - Cell 2
189Maxim Belkov (Rus) Katusha-AlpecinRow 188 - Cell 2
190Rik van Ijzendoorn (Ned) Novo Nordisk0:16:40
191Federico Zurlo (Ita) Team UAE Emirates0:17:22
192Umberto Poli (Ita) Team Novo NordiskRow 191 - Cell 2
193Roman Maikin (Rus) Gazprom – RusveloRow 192 - Cell 2
194Kohei Uchima (Jpn) Nippo - Vini FantiniRow 193 - Cell 2
195Brian Kamstra (Ned) Team Novo NordiskRow 194 - Cell 2
DNFWilliam Bonnet (Fra) FDJRow 195 - Cell 2
DNFNicola Boem (Ita) Bardiani CSFRow 196 - Cell 2
DNFPaolo Simion (Ita) Bardiani CSFRow 197 - Cell 2
DNFHideto Nakane (Jpn) Nippo - Vini FantiniRow 198 - Cell 2
DNFRick Zabel (Ger) Katusha-AlpecinRow 199 - Cell 2

 

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